5 Basic Flab Fighting Tips

Since I started losing weight there has been one question that I am asked over and over again. “What is your secret?” This is probably the hardest question I’ve ever had to answer. Not because I have some crazy complicated weight loss secret, but because when I tell people how I do it they just stare. They don’t believe that it can be so simple, but it can.  Everyone makes weight loss seem like such a scary daunting task that can only be done by an elite few. This is not true at all. Everyone can achieve this.  It is not always going to be easy, I will admit that, but it is not something to be intimidated by.  I’ve compiled 5 key tips that have helped me tremendously and they are good place to start on your own weight loss journey. Keep in mind in no way am I a doctor, these are just some strategies that worked for me and they may work for you as well.

1.Lose the Diet.

What? Don’t Diet? Yes, you heard me right. Scrap the diet. Diet plans are made for short-term goals. Most diets either fail soon after starting or once you go back to your normal habits of life. No one wants to be a yo-yo. You want to lose weight and keep it off, right?  This is all about  making lifestyle changes that you can keep up long term. Eat Clean. Do most of your grocery shopping in the produce and meat sections, your grocery cart should barely have anything pre-packaged and highly processed. Cut back on the sugar. Ditch the soda. Figure out what you “problem” foods are find a way to make them better.  For me I love pasta, but I know it’s not great for my figure.  I have found a number of foods that can substitute for pasta that are much better for me, such as Spaghetti squash, or slicing zucchini into pasta strips.  I still get to enjoy what I love, but it’s no longer holding me back from my goal.

2. Portion Control

While we’re discussing diets lets talk about portion control. Knowing your portions is crucial.  Many of us are eating WAY more than we need to.   The serving sizes listed on food packages aren't just there for decoration, this is how much you should be eating.  Try to follow these as best as possible. Doesn’t seem like much? Fill that void on your plate with veggies.  Veggies are basically free food. They’re so good for you that there is practically no limit on how many you can eat.  If you go out to eat keep in mind the portions at restaurants are almost always oversized. I always cut my meal in half. I eat half at the restaurant and take the rest home for another meal.

3.Get Active.

Move!  Find something that you love and keep doing it. You should do some sort of physical activity everyday for at least 20-30 minutes.  I strongly encourage cardio. It’s the best physical activity to drop pounds. Don’t have time for a long work out?  Cut out 20 minutes to run, jog, do an elliptical, anything that gets your heart pumping. My go-to is 20-30 minutes of cardio, either running or elliptical, and then an hour  or more of strength training.  At first I thought this was going to be the hardest part of the journey, but it has turned out to be my favorite. There is nothing I love more after a rough day at work than to put my headphones on and run until I can’t go anymore.  Not only is this a great way to help lose weight but it is so beneficial for your mental state. I am happier, calmer, and more energized.

4.Lose the scale.

“But how can I track my weight loss if I don’t have a scale?” You may ask. The number on the scale is not important. The thing to remember is that if you are working out, and especially doing strength training, is that you are gaining muscle as you are losing flab.  Muscle tends to weigh more than fat so although you may be slimming down and losing inches the number on the scale may not be budging the way you want it to. Watching the number on the scale can become really discouraging. Focus on  the inches . Go ahead and take your measurements, this is a great number to watch, and more encouraging. I personally just focus on how my clothes fit, and the way they continue to get looser.  I weight myself every few months at the doctor’s office, but the number is just that, a number.

5.Stop Making Excuses and Don’t Quit.

I cannot stress the importance of this step. Stop making excuses for why you can’t lose weight or why you can’t work out. Just do it. Once you start don’t quit!  I cannot even count the number of times I wanted to  give up, but where does giving up get you? Nowhere. If you want to see results you have to push yourself, even when you’re uncomfortable and want to quit.  I am where I am today because I didn’t give up when it got hard.  When you feel like you can’t continue use that to push yourself even harder.